Houseplant · Araceae
Xanadu Philodendron
Philodendron xanadu
Offer it bright, indirect light and steady moisture, and this easygoing self-heading philodendron fills a corner beautifully with very little from you.
Bright indirect
65–75°F · 18–24°C
USDA 9–11
2–5 ft · 0.6–1.5 m
Overview
The Xanadu philodendron makes a wonderful first plant, a compact, self-heading houseplant loved for its deeply lobed, glossy green leaves. It sits in the arum family and grew out of Philodendron bipinnatifidum, yet it holds its own as a patented selection. Indoors it settles into a tidy, rounded clump that keeps its shape all by itself, with no staking or training to fuss over.
The nicest part is just how forgiving it is, so you can relax as you learn its rhythm. It loves bright indirect light but happily puts up with the shadier corners that would stall a pickier plant, and a short dry spell between waterings will not undo your good work. Give it a warm room and a pot that drains, and it mostly takes care of itself while you find your footing.
Size is the one thing worth planning for ahead of time, and it is an easy plan to make. A grown plant stretches 3 to 6 feet (91 to 183 cm) across, so it will be happier with a bit of floor space than perched on a crowded shelf. In return you get a full, sculptural plant that more than earns the room you give it.
Care
The short version: offer bright indirect light, keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy, and settle it in a warm room between 65°F and 75°F (18°C to 24°C). Feed it monthly through spring and summer, and leave it a little room to grow, and you will do just fine.
Light
Set it where it gets bright, indirect light and it will reward you with the fullest, most compact growth. It puts up with partial shade and even deep shade far better than most houseplants, though in real gloom the leaves spread out and the plant turns leggy. Just keep it clear of harsh midday sun, which can scorch the foliage.
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist while the plant is actively growing, letting the surface dry a touch between drinks so you never overdo it. Its moderate drought tolerance means a short dry spell does no harm at all, though standing water is a different story. Remember that overwatering is the most common reason leaves turn yellow.
Soil
Pot it in a rich, humus-heavy mix that stays moist yet drains freely, and you are off to a great start. It is not picky about texture and grows happily in sand, loam, or clay, and it accepts anything from acidic to slightly alkaline. The one thing it will not forgive is a pot left waterlogged.
Temperature
Indoors it likes a steady 65°F to 75°F (18°C to 24°C), which is simply comfortable room warmth in most homes. It has no frost tolerance, so keep it clear of cold drafts and chilly windowsills once winter arrives.
Humidity
Ordinary household humidity suits it perfectly, so there is no target number to chase and no need to fret. A little extra moisture in the air keeps the leaves looking their best and helps hold spider mites at bay, since those pests prefer hot, dry rooms.
Feeding
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer through spring and summer, while the plant is putting on new growth. Ease right off through fall and winter as growth slows. Steady, gentle feeding always does more good than the occasional heavy dose.
Pruning
This is a low-maintenance plant that asks for very little shaping thanks to its self-heading habit. Simply take off old, yellowed, or damaged leaves at the base whenever they appear. Slip on gloves or wash up afterward, since cut stems ooze an irritating sap.
Repotting
Repot every 1 to 2 years, or whenever you notice roots poking through the drainage holes, growth slowing, or water running straight through the pot. Move it up to the next pot size with fresh mix in spring, and it will thank you. The wide-spreading clump enjoys the extra root room.
Size & spacing
A grown plant reaches 2 to 5 feet (61 to 152 cm) tall and opens to a generous 3 to 6 feet (91 to 183 cm) across. Give it floor space and a little breathing room for air to move around the clump rather than tucking it onto a crowded shelf, and it will look its best.
Troubleshooting
Most hiccups with this plant begin at the roots or turn up first on the leaves, and nearly all of them are easy to turn around. Overwatering leads the list, with a handful of familiar houseplant pests not far behind. Match what you are seeing to the notes below and step in early, and your plant should bounce right back.
Yellowing that begins low and works its way up
Take heart if the bottom leaves start yellowing and the color climbs higher, because this almost always means too much water rather than a plant that is hungry or failing. The roots are simply sitting wet with nowhere for the moisture to escape. Let the top of the soil dry before the next drink, check that the pot empties freely, and gently pinch off the saddest leaves at the base.
Fix:
- Allow soil to dry slightly before next watering
- Ensure the pot and soil drain freely
- Remove badly yellowed leaves at the base
Speckled, bronze-toned leaves showing thin webs
When the air turns hot and dry, spider mites sometimes move in, and the good news is they are easy to spot once you know the signs. Turn a leaf over and look for tiny crawling dots and delicate webbing on the underside. Rinse the foliage well, wipe each leaf, follow with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, and set the plant off on its own until it recovers, which it will.
Fix:
- Rinse foliage and wipe leaves clean
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Isolate the affected plant
Fluffy white tufts or brown bumps leaving a sticky film
Soft white cottony patches are usually mealybugs, and the little brown limpet-shaped bumps clinging to the stems are scale, with both leaving a sticky honeydew behind. Neither one has to spell trouble. Touch each pest with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, then treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, and simply keep at it until no fresh ones appear.
Fix:
- Dab insects with an alcohol-moistened swab
- Apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Repeat treatments until clear
New growth twisting with small insects gathered on it
Tender fresh leaves can draw soft-bodied aphids that gather in clusters, along with slender thrips that leave a silvery speckling. A firm stream of water knocks the aphids off, insecticidal soap handles the rest, and any growth that is truly overrun can be trimmed away without worry. Feed with a light hand for now, since a rush of soft new shoots is exactly the tender meal these pests come looking for.
Fix:
- Rinse off aphids with a stream of water
- Treat with insecticidal soap
- Remove heavily infested growth
Dark spots dotted here and there across the foliage
Separate brown spots, some rimmed with a soft yellow ring, come from fungal leaf-spot that settles on foliage left wet. Damp, close air lets it travel faster. Pluck off the marked leaves, thin things out so air can move around the plant, and pour water at the soil instead of over the leaves so they stay dry and happy.
Fix:
- Remove affected leaves
- Improve air circulation
- Avoid wetting foliage when watering
Toxicity
This one is toxic, so give it a thoughtful, safe spot around pets, livestock, and children, and it stays perfectly enjoyable to live with. Every part carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth and throat the instant they are chewed, bringing on drooling, swelling, and trouble swallowing. No part is edible, and even the sap can bother skin and eyes, so a quick handwashing after pruning is all it takes.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Moderate
One bite into a leaf frees sharp calcium oxalate crystals that sting a cat's mouth right away. You may see a lot of drooling, pawing at the face, vomiting, and hard swallowing, so watch closely and call for help if it happens.
Dogs Moderate
A chew sets off a strong burning across the lips and tongue, with drooling and gagging following soon after. Happily, most dogs let go quickly, and that usually keeps them from swallowing much at all.
Horses Toxic
Those same crystals irritate a horse's mouth and throat, leaving the animal drooling and unwilling to eat. Swelling of the tongue and lips can follow a mouthful, so keep the plant well away from grazing reach.
Rabbits Toxic
The crystals bother a rabbit's mouth and gut just as easily, so it helps to keep the leaves entirely out of nibbling range. A rabbit in discomfort will often stop eating, and that alone puts it at real risk.
Livestock Toxic
Goats, sheep, and cattle that sample the leaves meet the same burning mouth and upset stomach. Most learn to leave it be after that first stinging taste, though it is kindest to fence it off.
Birds Caution
A curious pecking bird can take on the same mouth irritation and drooling from the crystals. Keeping cages and perches clear of the plant is a simple, gentle way to stay on the safe side.
People Caution
No part of this plant is food, plain and simple. A chewed leaf burns the mouth and can puff up the lips and tongue, and the sap stings skin and eyes, so a quick handwashing after handling cut stems keeps everyone comfortable.
Sap can irritate skin, eyes and mucous membranes; wash hands after pruning or handling cut stems
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
How to propagate
Making more of this philodendron at home is genuinely easy and rather rewarding, whether you split a settled clump or root a cutting taken from the base.
DivisionEasy
Spring to summer · A few weeks to re-establish roots
If growing more feels intimidating, division is the friendliest place to start, and the clumping, self-heading habit does most of the work for you. Slip an established plant out of its pot in spring or summer and ease it into rooted sections, each carrying its own offsets. Give the divisions a little time and they settle in and push out fresh roots within a few weeks.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Spring to summer · Several weeks to root
Rooting a stem cutting is another path worth trying, and the Missouri Botanical Garden lists it right alongside seed. Snip a basal cutting that carries a node in spring or summer, then let it settle in for several weeks to root. Most plants for sale are tissue-cultured rather than grown this way, but it works nicely at home and is well worth the patience.
Myths
Since it was reclassified, the only correct name for Xanadu is Thaumatophyllum xanadu.
A 2018 study really did shift several Philodendron species over to Thaumatophyllum, but do not worry, the matter is not closed. Kew's Plants of the World Online still keeps Philodendron xanadu as the accepted name and lists Thaumatophyllum xanadu as a synonym, which means the experts themselves have not fully agreed on where the genus belongs.
Xanadu is nothing more than a dwarf version of the split-leaf philodendron.
There is no need to think of it that way, because it is a plant in its own right, trademarked XANADU and patented as 'Winterbourn' under US plant patent PP7030. It was raised from seed of Philodendron bipinnatifidum with unknown parentage, and Kew treats it as its own species rather than a shrunken selloum.